Canadian short story writer Alice Munro wonthe Nobel Prize for Literature. Eighty-two-year-old Munro is only the 13thwoman to win the 112-year-old prize．

Munro didn't publish her first collectionof short stories until she was 37 years old, but her stories have always beenwell-received. Lots of her stories share similar themes and characters, buteach story has its own twists and turns.

Even though she's won Canada's most famousliterary award, the Giller Prize, twice, winning the Nobel Prize for Literatureis the cherry on top of Munro's career. “It brings this incredible recognition，both of her and her career，and of the dedication to the short story,”said one person.

Along with the well-respected title comes1.3 million dollars. Munro said everything was “so surprising and wonderful”and that she was “dazed by all the attention and affection that has been comingmy way.”

Munro knew she was in the running—she wasnamed the second-most likely person to win this year's prize, after HarukiMurakami（村上春树）of Japan—but she never thought that she would win.

Munro's win also represents the long wayCanadian writers have come. “When I began writing there was a very smallcommunity of Canadian writers and little attention was paid by the world. NowCanadian writers are read, admired and respected around the globe,” Munro saidon Thursday.

She is technically not the first Canadianto win the Nobel Prize for Literature, but many like to think that she is．In 1976 Saul Bellow, who was born in Quebecbut moved to Chicago when he was still a child, won the prize. Even though hewas born in Canada, he is mostly considered to be an American writer.

“This is a win for us all. Canadians, byour very nature，are not very nationalistic,” said Geoffrey Taylor. “But things like thissuddenly make you want to find a flag．”

She wasn't sure whether she would keepwriting if she won the prize，saying that it would be “nice to go out with a bang. But this may change mymind.”

    Women are friendly．But men are more competitive．Why? Researchers have found it's all down to the hormone oxytocin （荷尔蒙催生素）．Although known as the love hormone, it affects the sexes differently．

"Women tend to be social in their behavior．They often share with others．But men lend to be competitive．They are trying to improve their social status," said Professor Ryan．

    Generally, people believe that the hormone oxytocin is let out in our body in various social situations and our body creates a large amount of it during positive social interactions （互动） such as falling in love or giving birth．

But in a previous experiment Professor Ryan found that the hormone is also let out in our body during negative social interactions such as envy．

    Further researches showed that in men the hormone oxytocin improves the ability to recognize competitive relationships, but in women it raises the ability to recognize friendship．

Professor Ryan's recent experiment used 62 men and women aged 20 to 37．Half of the participants（参与者）received oxytocin．The other half received placebo （安慰剂）．

    After a week, the two groups switched with participants．They went through the same procedure with the other material．

    Following each treatment, they were shown some video pictures with different social interactions．Then they were asked to analyze the relationships by answering some questions．The questions were about telling friendship from competition．And their answers should be based on gestures, body language and facial expressions．

    The results indicated that, after treatment with oxytocin, men's ability to correctly recognize competitive relationships improved, but in women it was the ability to correctly recognize friendship that got better．

    Professor Ryan thus concluded: "Our experiment proves that the hormone oxytocin can raise people's abilities to better distinguish different social interactions．And the behavior differences between men and women are caused by biological factors （因素） that are mainly hormonal．"

    Booking a trip on an online travel site is convenient, but comes with its own set of problems.

    They know who's going to spend more.

    Last year, US travel research company Orbitz tracked people's online activities to test out whether Mac users spend more on travel than PC users. It turns out that on average, Mac users lay out US $20-30 more per night on hotels. As a result, online travel sites show these users more expensive travel options first. To avoid paying more, sort results by price.

    Their software doesn't always link to the hotel's system.

    A guaranteed reservation is almost impossible to come by anywhere — but the risk of your flight or hotel being overbooked increases with third-party providers. The middleman's software isn't immune(防护作用的) to system errors, so always call the hotel or airline to make sure your booking was processed.

    Don't be fooled by packages: Often, they're low-end items grouped together.

    Ever notice how travel sites recommend a hotel, a rental car, and tour package all in one click? These deals usually feature travel that no one wants, like flights with multiple layovers(中途停留). Check the fine print.

    Once your trip is purchased, you're on your own.

    An online travel agency can't provide assistance the same way an agent can if a flight is cancelled or a room is substandard. Basically, when you arrive at the airport or hotel, you're just another customer who booked at the lowest rate.

    It was New Year's Night. An aged man was standing at a window. He raised his mournful (悲哀的) eyes towards the deep blue sky, where the stars were floating like white lilies (百合花) on the surface of a clear calm lake. He had already passed sixty and brought from his journey nothing but errors (错误) and regrets. Now his health was poor, his mind vacant and his heart sorrowful (悲伤的).

    The days of his youth appeared like dreams before him, and he recalled the serious moment when his father placed him at the entrance of the two roads—one leading to a peaceful, sunny place, covered with flowers, fruits and filled with soft, sweet songs; the other leading to a deep, dark cave, which was endless, where poison flowed instead of water and devils and poisonous snake hissed (发撕嘶声) and crawled (爬行).

    He saw the lights flowing away in the darkness. These were the days of his wasted life; he saw a star fall from the sky and disappeared, and this was the symbol (象征) of himself. His regret like a sharp arrow (箭) struck deeply into his heart. Then he remembered his friends in his childhood. But they had made their way to success and were now honoured and happy on this night.

    The high church clock struck and the sound made him remember his parents' early love for him. They had taught him and prayed for his good. But he chose the wrong way. With shame and grief he dared no longer look towards that heaven. His darkened eyes were full of tears, and with a despairing (绝望的) effort, he burst out a cry: "Come back, my early days!"

    His youth did return, for all this was only a dream which he had on New Year Night. He was still young though his faults were real; he had not yet entered the deep, dark cave, and he was still free to walk on the road which leads to the peaceful and sunny land.

    Those who still wander (徘徊) on the entrance of life, hesitating (犹豫) to choose the bright road, remember that when years are passed and your feet stumble (绊脚) on the dark mountains, you will cry bitterly, but in vain (徒劳): "Oh youth, return! Oh give me back my early days!"

    The morning after an evening flight with my then three-year-old daughter, I couldn't wait to get her to school. I was tired from the anger, and her inability to communicate because of her slowed language development.

    As I accompanied her into the car, I felt desperate. Nothing was right with our world. She had been born around the same time the nation was witnessing the birth of another Great Recession(经济萧条). My job and my house had been victims. Then this happened. My child's language delay was identified, but doctors struggled to properly diagnosis her. I felt like we both needed to be rescued.

    I returned that afternoon as disenchanted with the little girl I loved as when I left.

Walking slowly toward the school's playground gate, I found her preschool teacher racing to greet me.

    “You should have seen her today!” His breathy words were supported by excitement.  I didn't interrupt. “See that climber.” He pointed to a piece of wooden playground equipment that looked like a rock wall. I nodded. “Well, every day since she started school. She's tired and failed to make it to the top.” He took a breath. “And today she made it.

    He expressed his joy just like he'd witnessed her conquering (征服) Mount Everest “She cheered and celebrated! I wish I'd recorded it.” His words comforted me. My daughter had conquered her mountain. As she ran toward me, I recognized something I hadn't before. I saw her perseverance. I saw her strength. I saw a hero.

    Everyday greatness celebrates ordinary people who do unusual things in big and small ways, showing courage, kindness, love and selflessness. We encourage you to click these brief accounts and invite you to share your own story in our community.